Twenty sheltered dogs from the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Riverside County were transported to Dane County Humane Society in Wisconsin for a better chance of adoption.
Officials for the shelter announced Thursday that concerns about overcrowding and the impact Tropical Storm Hilary left on the shelter led to the decision to relocate the dogs, which were mostly German Shepherds and Siberian Huskies.
“When it comes to pet adoptions, every day is critical for ensuring that the pets in our care will have a positive outcome,” Erin Gettis, director of Riverside County Department of Animal Services, said in a statement.
With our Coachella Valley campus closed, our top concern was that the animals, especially our large dogs, could languish in the shelter without a chance for a new and loving home.”
Various organizations, including the Bianca Rae Foundation, The Grand Paw, Humane Society of the Desert, Loving All Animals, and Wings of Rescue, banded together to raise money for the flights.
Wings of Rescue is a non-profit volunteer organization that transports pets to safety via chartered flights.
The dogs were temporarily housed at San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus before traveling to Ontario International Airport to meet Wings of Rescue and make the journey to Wisconsin.
Those interested can track the flight in real-time by visiting www.flightaware.com and entering the plane’s tail number, N684AK.